Aircraft ID please?

[Philster2001]

Hi, can anyone ID this aircraft for me please?

[Rastus]

Looks like a Piper Tri-Pacer

[skippydiesel]

Quite the passenger load - I wonder what the in flight catering was like😃

[Philster2001]

Thanks, reckon you’re right - Piper Tri Pacer. Cheers

[onetrack]

That's a pretty old photo judging by the 1953 model Ford Customline in the background. I can find very little about Aerial Missions W.A. Inc on the 'net, although it appears they still operate as a small-level Christian charity, catering mostly to Aboriginals. I suspect their Piper is long gone, thanks to the increased costs of aviation in recent years, as compared to the 1950's and 1960's.

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by onetrack

[Philster2001]

Yeah, it’s a very old photo, probably taken by my father who was a missionary in those days in the far eastern WA goldfields, north east of Laverton. Possibly the 50’s or early 60’s.

[facthunter]

That's when they were sold. Not one of my favourite aircraft, particularly. One of the first with butyrate dope (I think it was called). Easy to fly.  Nev

[Garfly]

Well, the Tripe seems to have been the bee's-knees for charter biz back then.

Just ask mini chauffeur and First-Officer Muldoon of Executive Air Transport.

 

 

[Click thumbnail for full size.]

 

[facthunter]

I thought it was a TRIPER. Bit slow and brick like in a glide.  The C-172 at the time had a 6 cylinder 0-300 Continental and fowler flaps.   Nev

[Garfly]

36 minutes ago, facthunter said:

I thought it was a TRIPER. Bit slow and brick like in a glide. 

 

No, not always.  And yes, definitely.

 

 

 Turn back to airport in a Tripe? 

 

           "Let's face it. Our planes are not great gliders."

 

 

 Re: Turn back to airport in a Tripe?

"I've always heard that when your engine quits in a Pacer you look out your side window over the front of your tire and that's your landing spot. Being that a tripe's gear is a little farther to the rear, that might be a little less accurate. "

 

 

https://www.shortwingpipers.org/forum/showthread.php?12704-Turn-back-to-airport-in-a-Tripe

 

 

36 minutes ago, facthunter said:

The C-172 at the time had a 6 cylinder 0-300 Continental and fowler flaps.   Nev

 

Yes, but very few C172 captains turned up in full dress uniform.

 

 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Garfly

[old man emu]

Used to fly as navigator in a TriPacer out of Dubbo. It was also used as a glider tug at Narromine in the mid-70's.

 One thing I hate about Pipers in general is that there is only one door. I hated getting trampled by the evacuating pilot.  Cessnas spoiled you with their independent toe brakes.

 

There's one in need of a double helping of TLC at The Oaks. It's got a CSU, and wood rot. If wishes were .... you'd see an emu fly.

[facthunter]

Should be able to be repaired The fuselage is all round tube. Hi wing Cessna's have the best flaps in the light aircraft game.   Nev

[old man emu]

Bulk strip on the engine. Remove the CSU. Replace wing tip bows and recover the lot. $50 - $60,000 restoration bill?

[ClintonB]

3 hours ago, facthunter said:

Should be able to be repaired The fuselage is all round tube. Hi wing Cessna's have the best flaps in the light aircraft game.   Nev

Mine were like barn doors on the 182, slowed you down real well when applied to 40 degrees.

I do miss TWM, I hope the new owner is enjoying it.

 

[MattP]

Those older 40 degree 152 / 172 / 182 were fun, as a student doing practice forced landings they came in very handy if you’d ended up high on your approach. Also really demonstrated the need for good go around discipline as on a 152 or 172 at least you’re not going anywhere but down or maybe straight ahead with 40 deg regardless of power setting.

I don’t know what piper were thinking with the doors on their aircraft, especially for the tri pacer’s successor, let’s delete another door and leave just one for the whole plane. At least they added the back door for the Cherokee 6. Someone must have gotten a talking to about that oversight 😉 

 

[facthunter]

Fair bit of forward stick pressure needed on a go round and lots of drag till you get rid of the 40 degrees. The first setting gives some extra lift if needed on take off.  Nev

[ClintonB]

Tried a. Few times with instructor, very hard on the arms.

[facthunter]

YES it's Pretty significant force making precise pitch control difficult and the seat locks critical. Many jets with underslung engines have the same problem..Nev